Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding device and method for implantation and removal thereof

A method for removing a gastric band device including an encircling band portion encircling a stomach so as to form a restricted stoma opening for limiting food intake to the lower digestive portion of the stomach, said gastric band device including an expandable section secured to said encircling band portion for varying the size of the stomach opening, an elongate band portion incorporating a remotely operable securing means for retaining a locking element projecting from said gastric band device at a location near the distal end of said encircling band portion in a locking position wherein said locking element is received in a recess formed at an intermediate location along said gastric banding device so that said encircling band portion forms a circle of a predetermined fixed diameter around said stoma opening, and expansion control means, located in the abdominal muscle wall at the proximal end of said gastric band device, for controlling expansion and contraction of said expandable section, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an incision in the abdominal muscle wall at the location of said expansion control means;
• retracting said securing means so as to release said locking element from said recess;
• cutting said elongate band portion close to said recess on a side of said recess opposite said expandable section, with said securing means sufficiently retracted such that the securing means is not severed by said cutting, so as to produce a cut portion of said elongate band portion;
• removing both said expansion control means and said cut portion of said elongate band portion through said incision;
• and
• laparoscopically removing the remainder of said gastric band device containing said recess and said expandable section at the location of said stoma opening.

A method for removing a gastric band device including an encircling band portion encircling a stomach so as to form a restricted stoma opening for limiting food intake to the lower digestive portion of the stomach, said gastric band device including an expandable section secured to said encircling band portion for varying the size of the stomach opening, an elongate band portion incorporating a remotely operable securing means for retaining an outwardly projecting locking element formed integral with and projecting from said gastric band device at a location at least near the distal end of said encircling band portion in a locking position wherein said locking element is received in a recess formed at an intermediate fixed distance along said gastric banding device from said locking element so that said encircling band portion forms a circle of a predetermined fixed diameter around said stoma opening, and expansion control means, located in the abdominal muscle wall at the proximal end of said gastric band device, for controlling expansion and contraction of said expandable section, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an incision in the abdominal muscle wall at the location of said expansion control means;
• removing said expansion control means through said incision;
• releasing said outwardly projecting locking element from said recess and completely removing said securing means from said gastric band device through said incision;
• and
• laparoscopically removing said gastric band device at the location of said stoma opening.

A method for laparoscopically implanting a gastric band device including an encircling band portion which, in use, encircles a stomach so as to form a restricted stoma opening for limiting food intake to the lower digestive portion of the stomach, said gastric band device including an expandable section secured to said encircling band portion for varying the size of the stomach opening, an elongate band portion incorporating a remotely operable securing means for, when the device is implanted, retaining an outwardly projecting locking element formed integral with and projecting from said gastric band device at a location at least near the distal end of said encircling band portion in a locking position wherein said locking element is received in a recess formed at an intermediate fixed distance along said gastric banding device from said locking element so that, when the band is implanted, said encircling band portion forms a circle of a predetermined fixed diameter around said stoma opening, and expansion control means, communicating with said expandable section through a channel formed in said elongate band portion, for controlling expansion and contraction of said expandable section, said method comprising the steps of:

• using an endoscope introduced into an cannula to dissect tissue surrounding the stomach to provide a path for the elongate band portion of the gastric band device;
• laparoscopically introducing the gastric band into the abdominal cavity such that said encircling band portion encircles the stomach and said locking element is inserted in said recess so that said encircling band portion forms a circle of a fixed diameter around said stoma opening of the stomach which is predetermined prior to insertion of the locking element into the recess by said fixed distance between the locking element and the recess;
• operating said securing means to lock said locking element in said recess;
• and
• implanting said expansion control means in the abdominal muscle wall.

A gastric banding device for forming a stoma opening in a stomach so as to restrict food intake to the lower digestive portion of the stomach, said device comprising:

• a band member including encircling band means for, in use, encircling a stomach in a single loop so as to form a stoma opening in the stomach;
• an expandable section extending completely around the entire length of said encircling band means so that, in use, the expandable section fully encircles the stoma opening;
• and
• means for controlling expansion and contraction of said expandable section so as to control the size of the stoma opening;
• said band means having a free end and said device further comprising a first interlocking securing means disposed at a first predetermined fixed position at least close to said free end and a second interlocking securing means, disposed at a second predetermined fixed position located at an intermediate portion along said band, for interlocking with said first interlocking securing means to provide securing of said free end of said band means to said intermediate portion of said band means at said second position so that the band means forms a single loop circle of predetermined fixed diameter around the stoma opening.

A method for controlling the size of a stoma opening in a stomach so as to provide the restriction of food intake to the digestive portion of the stomach, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing an elongate band around an exterior surface of a stomach so that a portion of the band encircles the stomach;
• inserting a locking element formed integrally with and projecting outwardly from said band at a location near the distal end of the band into a recess formed at an intermediate location along the said band so as to form said band into a complete circle of fixed diameter around the stomach;
• and
• positively securing said locking element in said recess using a retaining member separate from said locking element.